The Washington Capitals got started early, when they turned a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft into top-six forward Dustin Penner from the Ducks. The Manitoba native is a big rig at 6-foot-4, 247 pounds, and is a strong net-front presence. In the salary-cap era, just 19 forwards picked in the fourth round have played 20 games or more at the NHL level, making it a good bet Washington will come out ahead in this deal. The move also gives coach Adam Oates a player known for working close to the goal -- Penner's average shot distance has gone from 32.1 feet during the 2011-12 season to 28.3 this season. That will be a nice complement to Washington's two superstars, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Plus, Penner has playoff experience, scoring 35 points in 78 games, and he was with the Ducks (2006-07) and the Los Angeles Kings (2011-2012) when they won the Stanley Cup.

Here are other trades that might provide more bang for the buck than some of the bigger-name moves made.